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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. O. HOWES. BONE BLACK DISGHARGER FOR CONTINUOUS FILTERS. No. 335,586.

Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

N. PEI'ERS. mowmo n m. Walhlngtan, 0 c4 (No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. O. HOWES. BONE BLACK DISGHARGER FOR CONTINUOUS FILTERS. No. 335,586.

Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFIcE.

ROBERT C. HOWES, OF EAST ORANGE, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. O. MATTHIESSEN & \VIEOHERS SUGAR REFINING COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, N. J.

BONE-BLACK DISCHARGER FOR CONTINUOUS FILTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,586, dated February 9, 1886.

Application filed October 26, 1885. Serial No. 180,895. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. HowEs, of East Orange, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Bone-Black Dischargers for Continuous Filters, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement is designed for employ-v ment for the purpose of effecting the removal of the exhausted bone-black from the bottom of a filtering-chamber containing a column of bone'black through which the sugar-liquor to be purified is forced in an upward direction; and the invention consists in providing a rotating bottom for the filtering-chamber composed of a slightly-conical frame supporting a cutting-blade arranged in the form of a conical helix, having the convex edge of each convolution of the blade successively overlapping the concave edge of the next adjoining convolution, the spaces between the successive convolutions and the extent of overlapping being arranged with reference to preventing the superincumbent bone-black from falling through the spaces between the convolutions merely under the influence of its own gravity, so that there will be no fall of bone-black through the discharger into the receiving chamber, excepting when the discharger is rotated for the purpose of effecting the discharge of aprescribed quantity of bone-black from the bottom of the column.

The accompanying drawings of a continuous filter containing the improvement are as follows: Figure 1 isaeentral longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the line a; a: on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section taken through the line 3 3 on Fig. 2, illustrating a modification of the arrangement of the cutting-blade, which consists in having each convolution of the blade canted inwardly and downwardly from its outer edge. Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, showing the convolutions of the cutting-blade so arranged as to cant outwardly and downwardly from their inner edges. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the discharger modified by having the convolutions of its shearing-blade gradually descend from the circumference to the center.

In continuous filters for effecting the purification of sugar-liquor by the process of upward filtration through bone-black the boneblack at the bottom of the filtering-chamber requires to be gradually removed as it becomes charged with impurities and loses its decolor- 5 5 izing power, and a quantity of fresh boneblack equal to that removed is at the same time introduced into the top of the filtering chamber.

The characteristic features of the continuous filtering apparatus illustrated in the drawings are, thefiltering-chamber A, surmounting the receiving-chamber B; the well 0, containing the chain-and-bu cket elevator D, for effect ing the removal of the exhausted bone-black 6 from the receiving-chamber, and the service pipe E, for supplying the sugar liquor to be purified under sufficient head to enable it to make its way upward from the receiving chamber through the column ofbone-black in the fil- 7C tearing-chamber to the outletsA, through which it is discharged from the filtering-chamber. The column of bone-black F in the filteringchamber is supported at the bottom upon the top of a helically-coiled cutting or shearing blade, G, which is mounted on the frame G, affixed to the vertical shaft G to which power is applied for the purpose of rotating the discharger. Whenever the necessity arises for the removal of the exhausted bone-black from So the bottom of the filteringchamber, the dis charger is rotated and a stratum of bone-black of uniform thickness is thereby sheared from the lower end of the column and forced through the spaces between the convolutions of the shearing-blade. \Vhen thus discharged, the exhausted boneblack falls down the inclined bottom of the receiving-chamber B to the lower end of the well 0, and is caught and I carried up by the buckets D of the elevator and discharged. upon the inclined chute D at the top of the well. The buckets D are perforated, or made of wire-gauze, in order that the sugar-liquor may to some extent drain out of them before they discharge their contents 5 upon the chute.

The chain'and-bucket elevator and other contrivances which have been heretofore devised for removing the exhausted bone-black from the bottom of the receiving chamber :00

without interrupting the continuity of the filtering operation do not constitute any part of the present invention, and are equivalentelements, either of which is a recognized appurtenance of a continuous filter. The shearing-blade may be arranged in the form of a spiral plane, gradually ascending from the circumference to the center of the filteringchamber, as shown in Fig. 1, or descending from the circumference to the center, as shown in Fig. 5. The various convolutions H H, 820., of the shearing-blade may also be cant-ed inwardly and downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3; or the shearing-blade may have its convolutions I I, &c., canted outwardly and downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. If, however, the convolutions of the shearing-blade are canted in either direction, they must be so proportioned and arranged as to more widely overlap each other than when arranged in the form of a spiral plane, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

What is claimed as the invention is In a continuous filter, a bone-black dis- ROBERT C. HOWES.

Witnesses:

M. L. ADAMS, CHAS. MoRRILL. 

